Ipod Connection Kit

[Justin Adie]

Hi

i have a dealer fitted Toyota iPod connector in my 2007 Rav4 (European model 180bhp turbo diesel).

It has worked after a fashion with my iPods and iPhones but seems to get very upset with the new ios. basically always reverting to the first song in the library on each turn on/off.

not good.

so I bought a female iPod to 3.5mm connector and tried plugging the iPod that way. But unfortunately the CD changer interface is not registering that anything is connected.

is there a work around for this? do I need, perhaps, to snip a signal wire in the ipod cable?

thanks for any advice

Justin

[Hoovie]

Hi

i have a dealer fitted Toyota iPod connector in my 2007 Rav4 (European model 180bhp turbo diesel).

It has worked after a fashion with my iPods and iPhones but seems to get very upset with the new ios. basically always reverting to the first song in the library on each turn on/off.

not good.

so I bought a female iPod to 3.5mm connector and tried plugging the iPod that way. But unfortunately the CD changer interface is not registering that anything is connected.

is there a work around for this? do I need, perhaps, to snip a signal wire in the ipod cable?

thanks for any advice

Justin

This 3.5mm Connector - are you plugging it into an Aux-in input somewhere in the RAV4 and trying to play the iPOD that way?

[Justin Adie]

Hoovie - I wish I had an aux in! I only have the toyota iPod Connector which spoofs the CD changer interface. I am taking that cable (which terminates in a male dock connector) and plugging it into a female dock to 3.5mm male cable.

[Hoovie]

Hoovie - I wish I had an aux in! I only have the toyota iPod Connector which spoofs the CD changer interface. I am taking that cable (which terminates in a male dock connector) and plugging it into a female dock to 3.5mm male cable.

WHERE is that 3.5mm cable being plugged into?

[Justin Adie]

Where? sorry - the top of the iPod !

[three5]

Hi

i have a dealer fitted Toyota iPod connector in my 2007 Rav4 (European model 180bhp turbo diesel).

It has worked after a fashion with my iPods and iPhones but seems to get very upset with the new ios. basically always reverting to the first song in the library on each turn on/off.

not good.

so I bought a female iPod to 3.5mm connector and tried plugging the iPod that way. But unfortunately the CD changer interface is not registering that anything is connected.

is there a work around for this? do I need, perhaps, to snip a signal wire in the ipod cable?

thanks for any advice

Justin

Hi Justin,

I had a Toyota iPod kit on my 2008 XT5 which, suffered all sorts of "control" problems. I could usually get it ( 160gB Classic ) to work again by rebooting the iPod. The problem became worse as I put more content onto the iPod. I also tried an aftermarket adaptor instead of the Toyota kit but that wasn't a lot better. Now running a Sony XNV - LT77BT headunit with a built in iPod interface which works fine with the same iPod - BUT it's a bl**dy expensive solution! For my money, try the reboot first, if that doesn't work try reformatting the iPod ( after a backup if necessary ) before starting on any wiring surgery. The problem with the aux input is that you have no control of the iPod itself. HTH

[three5]

Hi

i have a dealer fitted Toyota iPod connector in my 2007 Rav4 (European model 180bhp turbo diesel).

It has worked after a fashion with my iPods and iPhones but seems to get very upset with the new ios. basically always reverting to the first song in the library on each turn on/off.

not good.

so I bought a female iPod to 3.5mm connector and tried plugging the iPod that way. But unfortunately the CD changer interface is not registering that anything is connected.

is there a work around for this? do I need, perhaps, to snip a signal wire in the ipod cable?

thanks for any advice

Justin

Hi Justin,

I had a Toyota iPod kit on my 2008 XT5 which, suffered all sorts of "control" problems. I could usually get it ( 160gB Classic ) to work again by rebooting the iPod. The problem became worse as I put more content onto the iPod. I also tried an aftermarket adaptor instead of the Toyota kit but that wasn't a lot better. Now running a Sony XNV - LT77BT headunit with a built in iPod interface which works fine with the same iPod - BUT it's a bl**dy expensive solution! For my money, try the reboot first, if that doesn't work try reformatting the iPod ( after a backup if necessary ) before starting on any wiring surgery. The problem with the aux input is that you have no control of the iPod itself. I take it that the european spec headunit has a built in aux ( 3.5mm ) input that you are using. My Toyota kit had no aux in port.HTH

[Justin Adie]

Hi Chris

i'm sure it's an iOS5 change that's at the heart of the problem. All my iPods and iPhones exhibit it (more than six in the family).

but also I'm fed up with the limitations imposed by the toyota part - effectively I can only use the music function on the iPod - i can't play the radio through it (only way to get english radio in france) or any other signal source. which ain't good. I read a long time ago that one could remove the 'accessory' blocking screen by snipping a wire. so that would have solved the first problem.

i'd rather solve it with the convertor but can't see a way to force the head unit to assume that there is a CD changer plugged in.

I have the big split satnav head unit. there is an aftermarket alternative from hong kong that uses windows mobile I think, but 500 quid or so seems like overkill.

[Justin Adie]

oh - i should add that i would have full control over the iPod with the aux input as it would be dash mounted (and connected eventually to the 3.5mm jack via bluetooth, but that's to come when I can get the CD changer recognized). hands free usage provided either by the passenger or via siri ...

[three5]

Hi Chris

i'm sure it's an iOS5 change that's at the heart of the problem. All my iPods and iPhones exhibit it (more than six in the family).

but also I'm fed up with the limitations imposed by the toyota part - effectively I can only use the music function on the iPod - i can't play the radio through it (only way to get english radio in france) or any other signal source. which ain't good. I read a long time ago that one could remove the 'accessory' blocking screen by snipping a wire. so that would have solved the first problem.

i'd rather solve it with the convertor but can't see a way to force the head unit to assume that there is a CD changer plugged in.

I have the big split satnav head unit. there is an aftermarket alternative from hong kong that uses windows mobile I think, but 500 quid or so seems like overkill.

I think that you will have to wait till SHCM logs in - his soldering iron knows more about car electronics than I do , and that is when it is switched off!!!!!!

[Hoovie]

yup, as Three5 says, if you are plugging the connection into the heasdphone socket of the iPod, then the toyota head unit will have no idea anything is connected.

Toyota Head Unit interfaces for iPods are of dubious value at the best of times.

If you don't want to change head units (the best but the most expensive solution) then another option is to get an FM Transmitter module for the iPOD and tune in the Heasd Unit radio to the matching frequency.

Some people seem to have great success with those, others none at all (I am part of the latter group :( ) but could be worth a shot?

[firemac]

yup, as Three5 says, if you are plugging the connection into the heasdphone socket of the iPod, then the toyota head unit will have no idea anything is connected.

Toyota Head Unit interfaces for iPods are of dubious value at the best of times.

If you don't want to change head units (the best but the most expensive solution) then another option is to get an FM Transmitter module for the iPOD and tune in the Heasd Unit radio to the matching frequency.

Some people seem to have great success with those, others none at all (I am part of the latter group :( ) but could be worth a shot?

Hi Justin,

I used to be in the no-success-group until I bought one of these:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_721953_langId_-1_categoryId_254705

Not as neat as a hard-wired solution but it works really well and allows optional wavelength when travelling out of existing transmitter range.

Jim

[Justin Adie]

thanks all. 100% will not go the FM transmitter route. have had loads - none work well. particularly in france where the spectrum is very densely packed.

i think I need to create a current draw. perhaps one of those iPod female connectors with embedded chip will do the trick - they must be taking a 5v feed to power themselves - but I wonder whether they pull enough current to trigger the CD changer spoofer. @15 quid it's worth a try?

[Justin Adie]

this, I think, might be the answer ...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bluetooth-A2DP-Adapter-Audio-Receiver-iPod-Speaker-Dock-Station-New-White-/280799698247?pt=Receivers_Tuners&hash=item4160f75d47#ht_2283wt_1212

[Hoovie]

this, I think, might be the answer ...

http://www.ebay.co.u...#ht_2283wt_1212

Get it on sale or return! I don't think your head unit supports bluetooth A2DP

[Justin Adie]

Hoovie - why would the head unit need to support any particular BT protocol? the dongle supports the protocol and acts as the receiver to an iPhone's send. it plugs directly into the iPod cable that is attached to the CD Multichanger port.

the key thing I'm hoping for is that the toyota iPod cable has nothing more clever than a current switch to wake up the CD Multichanger port on the head unit.

[Hoovie]

I think that particular device will do absolutely nothing to solve your problem, but good luck with it !!

[tatteam]

SHCM is the soldering iron genius here, so he can suggest anything. :hokus-pokus:

I'll greatly appriciate for a simple USB module to connect to the B9004 head unit just to play MP3 music from a memory stick.

[shcm]

they must be taking a 5v feed to power themselves - but I wonder whether they pull enough current to trigger the CD changer spoofer. @15 quid it's worth a try?

I think you are going to be very disappointed. Only the more recent toyota units have a "simple" aux in.

To spoof a CD changer, you need to talk on Toyota's AVCLAN audio bus. It's the only way to get it recognised. No simple cutting of wires I'm afraid. Aux boxes that talk on AVCLAN can be purchased.

Some tech Info on AVCLAN here:

http://www.softservi.../avc/avclan.php

[Justin Adie]

Thanks shcm

I have the Toyota iPod interface already patched into the head unit so Im assuming that will handle the relevant comms protocols.

Is that incorrect?

[shcm]

Sorry, I didn't read your first post carefully enough.

Yes the adapter will translate from avclan to Apple accessory protocol.

I'm still not completely clear what you are trying to achieve, probably not helped by the fact I don't have any Apple stuff.

You might get some success (although I think it is very unlikely), by playing with the resistance connected to pin 21 of the pod/phone connector:

http://pinouts.ru/CellularPhones-A-N/iPhone_connector_pinout.shtml

I expect that the adapter really needs to talk to the pod/phone via the data serial link though for you to get any audio.

[Justin Adie]

@shcm

thanks. i will play with the resistance on that pin (which in turn necessitates of course some kind of current draw across that pin, which in part confirms my suggestion).

for other readers in the future ... what I'm hoping to achieve is the ability to use my iphone/ipod with the toyota iPod interface AND be able to full control of what audio is sent FROM THE IPHONE/IPOD. at the moment this is not possible because the screen interface is blanked AND the steering wheel/HU interface allows only a control of the audio player via playlists (made infinitely worse by the fact that the satnav head unit does not support CD text or album art etc (truly execrable integration)).

In order to make the iPhone (etc ) safely usable (or at least more safely usable), I will mount it on the dash and connect to the iPod interface via bluetooth (that's the plan anyway) A2DP protocol.

I'm hoping this will work because the wee BT dongle should spoof the iPod interface into thinking that an actual iPod/iPhone is connected. There will be current draw. the dongle will receive the BT audio and will translate that into the right audio signals to shove down the Toyota iPod interface.

If this works, it will then enable me to be able to use other audio sources on the iPod such as navigon or any digital radio (which don't necessarily use the iTunes player SDK to push out sound).

the device is on order and has shipped already. It should arrive thursday or friday and I'll report back on progress.

If it fails spectacularly I'm back to breadboarding some resistance on the pins.

[hedleyf]

Best of luck on this,

[hedleyf]

Why not just put a disc in the CD player?, Lifes to short. All this stuff makes wax run from my ears.

Good Luck

[Justin Adie]

Hedley

Because over the years I've moved everything to iTunes. Now with the new match service i can have my entire library of 20k songs and audiobooks available in the car.

And most of all because I'm in the car two+ hours a day and I really want to listen to uk radio. The only way to get that is via the iPhone data connection streaming it over the web. French talk radio pales in comparison to radio 4 and would make more than wax run from your ears!